Former Mount Vernon prep Jack Cochrane thriving at South Dakota

South Dakota linebacker Jack Cochrane has focused on a consistent approach to all phases of his life.

The same type of preparation for football transfers to the classroom as a criminal justice and business administration student with a 4.0 grade-point average. Cochrane also applies it to his personal life and relationships with his family.

“I feel like having that cohesiveness in the way you live your life and the way you approach different aspects of your life is good to be a well-rounded person,” said Cochrane, an all-Missouri Valley Football Conference defensive and all-academic selection. “I’m a very competitive guy on the field. I work pretty hard, I’d like to think. I try to carry that same mindset in the classroom. I like to be competitive and do the best I can. I try to be consistent in the way I approach things.”

Cochrane’s consistency and all-around success has garnered national attention this season. He has been named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, honoring college football’s top scholar-athlete. Cochrane will return to his home state when the FCS 21st-ranked Coyotes take on No. 16 Northern Iowa on Saturday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, starting at 4 p.m.

South Dakota is 4-2 and 2-1 in the MVFC, winning two straight and coming off an upset of No. 13 North Dakota. UNI is 3-2 and 1-1.

The former Mount Vernon prep expects a strong contingent of followers to attend the game. He said it is special to see family, friends, and hometown supporters will be there to cheer him.

“I look up there and see a lot of people I’ve known since I was a little kid,” Cochrane said. “They are up there still supporting me. It’s awesome and something I don’t take for granted.”

Cochrane has claimed multiple honors. He is a three-year team captain, receiving pre-season All-America recognition and earning second-team all-MVFC in 2019 and honorable mention last season. Cochrane has been a first-team all-academic team member the last three seasons, becoming South Dakota’s first first-team all-academic pick since 2012.

“Individual accolades are nice and stuff, but it’s not something I focus on too much on a day-by-day basis,” said Cochrane, who was chosen for the FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star team. “With that being said, if I go out there and really take each day for what it is, try to get better and compete my butt off on game day I feel that those things will come. It’s nothing I focus on but comes with the preparation I put in each week.”

The Campbell Trophy considers college players from different levels. Cochrane is one of 176 semifinalists, but just one of 36 from Division I FCS. The National Football Foundation will announce 12 to 14 finalists Oct. 27 with each receiving a postgraduate scholarship. The winner will be recognized Dec. 7 in Las Vegas.

“It’s cool to have an honor like that focused on achievement on the field and in the classroom,” Cochrane said. “It’s something I appreciate, but it’s not why I come out here and play the game. I play the game to win games and have a lot of fun with my teammates.”

Production has remained steady for the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder. He has a team-best 51 tackles and tallied three pass breakups, three passes defended and three quarterback hurries. Cochrane has amassed more than 260 career tackles, which is most among current players. His 6.5 tackles for loss also leads the Coyotes this season.

An emphasis on fundamentals from defensive coordinator Travis Johansen has helped with technique for tackling and shedding blockers to go along with his instincts and knowledge of their scheme. Cochrane also credited the defensive line for allowing him to roam untouched.

“Part of that is I have had a decent amount of opportunities to be able to make plays like that,” Cochrane said. “Whenever a linebacker gets to play downhill like that, it means the defensive line is doing a really good job holding up those offensive linemen so I can run clean to the ball. I think the bigger point is how we’re controlling the line of scrimmage and hopefully that is something we continue to do.”

The last five years have zipped by, according to Cochrane. He is assured of five more games, starting Saturday against the Panthers. Cochrane said he hopes to play after college, but is appreciating each second left as a Coyote.

“I’m just trying to soak in each moment,” Cochrane said. “There are limited opportunities, so hopefully I will have the opportunity to keep playing this game a little bit after college.”